Fireworks barges go up in flames at Japanese festival
Organisers admitted they ‘lost control of the fireworks’, forcing five workers to jump into the sea off the coast of Yokohama
Aerial footage by public broadcaster NHK on Monday night showed one of the vessels ablaze in the sea off Yokohama – a city south of Tokyo – with pink and white sparks flying in all directions.
One of the barges was carrying five workers, all of whom jumped into the sea to escape and were later rescued, the Yokohama coastguard Bureau said on Monday. The fire also spread to another barge but there were no people on board.
One worker sustained an injury, which local media reports said was minor.
Organisers of the summer festival were quoted by NHK as telling investigators that they “lost control of the fireworks on the boats”, with police and the coastguard investigating the causes of the incident.